Background:Perinatal asphyxia is a major cause of neurological morbidity and mortality in India. The purpose of this study was to investigate variations in nucleated red blood cell (NRBC) in blood associated with perinatal asphyxia and its relationship to both the severity and short term prognosis of asphyxia.Methods:A prospective (case-control) study was undertaken at Gandhi Medical College and Associated Hospitals. A total of 100 neonates were included in the study. Levels of NRBC/100 white blood cells (WBC) and absolute NRBC counts in cord blood were compared for 50 asphyxiated (case group) and 50 normal neonates (control group). These parameters were also related to the severity of asphyxia and clinical outcome.Results:The number of NRBC/100 WBC in the blood of 50 newborns each in the asphyxiated and in the control group were mean 29.5 ± 26.0, range 7-144 NRBCs/100 WBC and mean ± standard deviation 5.9 ± 2.6, range 3-14 NRBCs/100 WBC respectively (P < 0.01). Using quartile deviation, staging of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) was done on basis of NRBC count and there was 80% agreement between clinical and NRBC staging of HIE. There was a significant (P < 0.01) correlation of the number of NRBC\100 WBC with Apgar scoring, HIE staging and mortality.Conclusions:The NRBCs/100 WBCs can be used as a simple marker for the assessment of severity and early outcome of perinatal asphyxia.

Arachnoiditis involving optic nerve and the optic chiasm can occur as a complication of tuberculous meningitis (TBM). This study evaluates the clinical features, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and laboratory parameters and imaging findings of optochiasmatic arachnoiditis (OCA) and also tried to identify any factors which can predict this complication in patients with TBM. Patients admitted with TBM in the neurology wards of a tertiary care teaching hospital over a period of 6 years formed the material for this study. Student's "t" test and univariate analysis were done to identify any predictors for this complication and the variables found to be significant were further analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. One hundred sixty-three patients with TBM, admitted over a 6-year period, were studied. Twenty-three (14%) patients developed OCA. Eighteen out of 23 (78%) developed this complication while on antituberculous treatment (ATT) and 5/23 (22%) were newly diagnosed cases of TBM. Of those already on treatment, 12/23 (52%) were receiving only ATT, the remaining 6/23 (26%) had received steroids along with ATT in varying doses and duration. The average period from diagnosis of TBM to visual symptoms was 6.4 months. On the multivariate logistic regression analysis, female sex (P < 0.037), age less than 27 (P < 0.008) years and protein content in the CSF > 260 mg% (P < 0.021) were the factors predisposing toward this complication. At 6 months follow-up, on treatment with steroids and ATT, 17% had improvement and no further deterioration was noted in visual acuity in 52%. OCA can develop even while on treatment with ATT. Young women with a high CSF protein content seem to be more prone for this complication.

Background:Over the past two decades, it has been observed that hypertension shows an increasing trend in children and adolescents. Various factors are contributing to this upward trend, and they primarily include changes in lifestyle and dietary habits.Objectives:The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of hypertension in school going adolescent children and to study the associated risk factors.Materials and Methods:This prospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted over a period of one year on apparently healthy adolescents of randomly selected urban schools of Bhopal district of Madhya Pradesh, Central India. A pretested and prevalidated questionnaire was used to collect the details including present or past history of illness, family history of hypertension, socioeconomic status, and sleep pattern and birth weight of the children. This was followed by anthropometric and blood pressure (BP) measurements and thorough systemic examination.Results:Out of 1221 children recruited in the study, 618 were boys, and 603 were girls. 22.7%, body mass index (BMI) of majority (85%) of the students was between 5th and 84th percentile, 5.65% were obese (BMI ≥95th) and 9.18% children were overweight (85th-95th percentile). Systolic and diastolic hypertension (BP >95th percentile) was seen in 61 (4.1%) and 48 (3.9%) participants, respectively. Both systolic and diastolic hypertension was seen in 30 (2.45%) participants. Systolic and diastolic prehypertension (BP 90th to <95th percentile) was seen in 88 (7.3%) and 68 (5.6%) participants, respectively. A highly significant association (P < 0.01) of sex, BMI, systolic BP, family history of hypertension, and birth weight with diastolic BP was seen.Conclusion:There is a significant positive correlation of BMI with both systolic and diastolic BP. The family history of hypertension appears to be an important risk factor for the increase in both systolic and diastolic BP. Low birth weight and male sex seem to be risk factors for diastolic hypertension.

In patients with pregnancy associated CVT, prothrombotic markers can be multiple and are associated with increased odds of mortality. Deep venous system involvement, presence of midline shift and diffuse cerebral edema increased mortality. Peuperial water restriction may be a modifiable risk factor.

Objective To assess the clinico-epidemiological profile of paediatric patients with Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection during the pandemic. Methods Clinico-epidemiological and laboratory profile of children between 1 month and 14 years were studied between 15 May and 31 July 2020, who had positive nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results A total of 30 children with median age of 10.5 years (8 months to 14 years) were included in the present study. Sixty percent were boys. Twenty-seven (90%) belonged to an urban area and all 30 children were from a containment area. All were belonging to Kuppuswamy upper lower and lower socioeconomic class. Twenty-one (70%) were asymptomatic. All children had a positive household contact. Symptomatic children had only mild symptoms of fever, dry cough and rhinitis. All were fully vaccinated as per age. Nine (30%) had anaemia. The mean leucocyte count was 7470 ± 2427 (4300–14 100). Leucocytosis was seen in 3 (9%) children. C-reactive protein was found to be raised in only 4 (13%) children. We did not find alteration in sense of smell and taste. No mortality was reported. Conclusion COVID-19 in paediatric patients is usually mild. Severe acute respiratory infection is not a major manifestation of COVID 19 infection in children. All children infected by the novel Corona virus-2 in this study, have a documented household contact.